Josh Young’s big night
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Jesus Christ Superstar’s Judas talks about his Tony Award nerves,
The entire cast of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of
Jesus Christ Superstar are going to have an exciting Sunday night. They get to appear live on the Tony Awards (airing at 8 p.m. on CBS), performing a medley from their show, which has been nominated for Best Revival of a Musical. But it will be an even bigger thrill for Josh Young, who plays Judas in the production, who’s nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. The Star interviewed Josh Young from his Manhattan apartment, fresh from walking his dog, about the highs and lows of being a Tony nominee. Q: Josh, how are you feeling? A: I am nervous. I am so nervous. Not about the award, but being on national television and singing. That freaks me out.
Q: Do you have a philosophy about the award itself?
A: I’m just going to assume I’m not going to win. I went in assuming I wasn’t going to get nominated and look what happened!
Q: What’s been the best part of the whole circus for you?
A: Meeting so many actors I’ve admired for years. The first Broad- way show I ever saw was Des (McAnuff)’s production of Tommy and it starred Michael Cerveris, who’s nominated opposite me. The night the nominations were announced, he sent a handwritten letter to my dressing room congratulating me. Imagine how that made me feel!
Q: Is there a lot of pressure surrounding the whole weekend?
“I’m just going to assume I’m not going to win. I went in assuming I wasn’t going to get nominated and look what happened!”
JOSH YOUNG
A: I don’t think it could be any worse! We have a two-show day on Saturday, then a Sunday morning rehearsal for the TV show. Then a matinee onstage, then back for the performance and the awards.
Q: Who’s going to be your support system that night?
A: My parents are going to be in the audience, of course, but my date is going to be my fiancée, Alia Rosenstock.
Q: What are you going to be wearing?
A: I’ve got a custom-made tux from Joseph Abboud. Shawl collar, twobutton. No cummerbund. I’m told they’re out. I wanted to wear a long black tie, but they told me I should wear a bow tie. A real one. So now I’ve got to learn how to tie one!
Q: I know some people think it’s unlucky, but do you have a speech prepared in case you win?
A: Yesterday was the Theatre World Awards and I guess I missed the part of invitation that said I had a twominute time slot for a speech. So I made one up on the spot and it went pretty well. It was heartfelt and it came right from me. If by some crazy chance I win, that’s what I’ll do again.
Q: Anybody you want to thank in particular?
A: I’ve got a list that goes back 10 years! But I remember my middle school music teacher, Bill Noce, who was the first person to tell me I should go into the business, and Claudia Carlson, who taught me so much at the Young People’s Theatre Workshop in Pennsylvania. Q: Anybody from Stratford? A: Everybody from Stratford! I owe everyone from Des on down such a giant vote of gratitude for taking a chance on me. I feel that my being here is kind of miraculous and it’s thanks to so many people.
Q: Any advice to the young actors sitting at home and watching you?
A: Focus and capitalize on what makes you different from everybody else.